Xkethod of and apparatus for making motion-picture films



F. M. FABE R. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING MOTION PICTURE FILMS.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 4, ISIS. Beissued Nov. 30, 1920.

INVENTOR I WITNESSES Wm 14,996. 3 SHEEITS-SHE ET 2- INVIN'IOI a mu .4, WW4,

APPLICATION FlLED JAN-4. I915.

F M FABER METHOD or AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING monou PICTURE HLMS.

Reissued Nov. 30, 1920.

I F. M. F'ABER. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING MOTION PICTURE FILMS. APPLICATIOI FILED mm. mu. Bbissued Nov. 30, 1920. 14,996.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES T I INVENTOR my 7 3 g V/ UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

TRANK FABER, or CANTON, OHIO.

- uE'rHon 0 4N 15 APPARATUS FOR MAKTNG MOTION-PICTURE rILMs.

Specification of Reissued Letters Patent. Reisslled NOV. 30, 1920.

Original No. 1,143,521,-dated June 15,- 1915. Serial No. 789,778, filed September 15, 1813. Application for reissue filed January 4, 1916. Serial No. 70,298.

camera and developed in the usual manner,

is known as the negative from which a positiw. is made for producing the appear ance of objects in motion, when projected upon a screen by a properly designed'stereopticon.

The object of my invention is to imprint on the margins of all or apart of the in- (lividual pictures of the film. a title or description of the scene or action portrayed,

which title changes with the scene or action-.,

"The invention may alsobe employed to advantage in the production of certain kinds of so called trick pictures, wherein effects are now produced by double exposure or double printing, as in the production of so called spirit pictures or ghostsg; and also in the production of dissolving views.

Heretofore, the scenes or actions displayed at moving picture exhibitions, have been described. or explained to the audience. either by word of mouth, or by projecting upon the screen in'adv'anceof the projection of the picture, a title descriptive in more or less detail of the scenes or'actionto follow; it being understood that when thelatter method has been employed, the title or descriptive matter has not been displayed contemporaneously with. and in correspondence with the scene or action. The latter method, though almost universally employed, is'unsatisfactory for the reason that the distinct events or objects of interest displayed are frequently so great in number and occur in such rapid succession, that'it would overtax the capacity of the ordinary observer to carry in mind and properly apply the full wherein points of interest succeed each other in rapid succession, and though a full description displayed before hand would be of small value to an audience for reasons stated above, it would not be practicable to break the scene and display, in the usual manner, the title description of each succeeding object of interest.

. Again, in the so called moving picture plays, the actors are frequently seen to converse, While the audience is in ignorance of what they are saying. Finally the element of interest in many of the incidents of such plays is lost, since the story told invadvance precludes thepossi-bility of surprise. So that an important object of my invention is, in great measure if not entirely, to dispense with the present method of interruptingthe scenes from time to time to interpolate titles descriptive ofwhat is to follow; and to provide a film which will project simultaneously upon a screen a changing scene and a title descriptive thereof, said title changing in correspondence with the scene.

The improved film is preferably made by adding. to the motion picture camera in commonuse, a supplementarywlens or lenses, which supplementary lens is focused. on a part of the film, either adjacent to, at a distance from; *or' coinciding with the part thereof upon which the principal dens is focused, with the object'of imposing on the sensitized film a. photographic imprint'of separate scenes presented to'the two lenses respectively, either by simultaneous action of both lenses onthe same or different parts of the film, or of imposing a photographic imprint on the film of the scene presented to the supplementary lens on a part of the film adjacent to but not included in the part of the sensitized film affected by light passing through the principal lens.

Several forms ofsuch an apparatus are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, formingpart hereof, in which Figure I is. a sectional view of a moving picture camera showing the supplemental features thereof partlyin section and partly in-. perspectivejFig. 2, a vertical sectional view of the supplemental feature; Fig. 3, a modified form of the apparatus in sectional elevation; Fig. 4,,a section of another modified form of the apparatus; Fig. 5-, a plan section on line 5-5, Fig. 4; Fig. 6. a form of screen or shutter used in connection 'with the form of apparatus shown in Figs. 4 and 5; Fig. 7, another modified mentary view of the finished film made by the improved method.

Similar numerals refer. to similar parts throughout the drawings.

1 is the motion picture camera box having light tight. walls; 2, the film which moves in the direction indicated by the arrow; 3 and 4, the feed rolls; 5, the loop formed in the film;'7, a'beater mechanism for imparting the intermittent motion tothe film; 8, the revolving shutter for screening the film when in motion and exposing it when stationary; 9. the principal lens; the film gate; 11, the principal window therein for the principal lens; and 12, the tension plate for keeping the film flat and in alinement. -hese parts constitute the main elements of type of moving picture camera in general 20 e.

For the purpose of afiixing titles to the individual pictures of the scenes or actions,

as the same are being taken on the film by the principal lens, it is referred to use the arrangement shown in ig. 1, in which the supplementary lens 13 is focused on the film at a supplementary window 14 located in the gate to expose a part of-the film which will advance to and coincide with or be adjacent to the part thereof which will be exposed to the principal lens.

The light-tight compartment or extension 15 is provided on the camera box in which is provided the inclined mirror 16 and the window 17. 18 isa strip of transparent or preferably translucent'material on which'is inscribed continuously and in proper; se-

quence, descriptive matter of the scenes or actions to bephotographed. 19 and 20are reels onto and from which the strip l 8,may be rolled by turning the cranks 19 and 20. The reels are supported by suitable brackets 22 attached to the extension,l5,j and the strip 18slidingly fits the grooves 23 in the sides of the window 17. 24 is a shutter with which the window 17 may be closed and which forms a light-controlling element which is independent of the main shutter. I

The arrangement illustrated in Rig. ,1 provides means for-photographing all or a part of the margins of the picturespn successive sections of the film, successive titles or inscriptions descriptive of the .changing scenes portrayed, so that such-successive 55 titles or inscriptions will be exhibited simultaneously and with the changing scenes which they respectively describe. For oprating the camera, the descriptive matter of thescenes or actions to be photographed are inscribed upon the strip 18 in the order in which they will occur; the words bein either clear on a dark background or darli on a clear background. Light passing through the strip-18 is reflected by the mirror 16 through the supplementary-lens 13,

the image of the strip 18 being focused on the part of the sensitized film at the window 14. As the scene changes for the action progresses, the title bearing strip 18 is drawn past the Window by turning one of the cranks, so as to suit the word to the action. The distance from the bottom of the window 14 to the top of the window 11, is equal to the distance, or a multiple of the distance, which the film advances in each successive movement; consequently, when the machine is in operation, the latent Image impressed upon the sensitized film at the window 14.by the supplementary lens will, after having advanced the intervening intervals. occupy a position above and adjacent to the window 11, through which window the latent image of the scene being photographed is impressed by the principal lens 9 and the next successive movement ofthe film carries the part of the film impressed by the supplementary lens. beyond or inscription on the strip 18 will, when the film is developed, appear on the margins of the pictures due to the principal lens 9. as shown in Fig. 8, wherein the relative change in the positions of the scenes and titles are greatly exaggerated.

The resulting picture will, when projected upon a screen in the usual manner, appear to the observer as having a descriptii e title on the margin, and if the title bearing strip 18 be .kept in motion while the views are being taken, the title as finally projected upon the screen; will appear to move from right to left along the margin of the picture. It is evident that the title may be made to a)pear either at the top, bottom or sides ot a picture, or thatby changing the position of the supplementary front of the lens, and the mirror 16 dis-- pcnsed with; but if solocated. the extension 15 would more or less obstruct the view of the window 11. -Thus the image of the title the principal lens 9 and would moreover render the outfit less compact.

In the modified form of apparatus shown in Fig. 3, the light-tight compartment 15,

the supplementary lens 13, the supplementary window 14*. formed in the tension plate- 12, and the strip 18 are on the opposite side of the film to the principal lens 9. For this arrangement I add a revolving shutter 8 loose wh p rf rm t ame functi as he shutter "8, and acts in unison therewith; and e ligh ac ing on h sen i ize emu onv passes through the film. It is evident that a m rror may be employed'in this mod fi a ion to reflect the light from a window equivalent to 17 located at the top, bottom or eitherside of the camera. It .is also evident that the lengthy strip18 or 18 maybe moved inten mittently s'th scene or action may require, or may be eplaced y a series o shor st ip sim lar to the o l ed n e ides use in the stereopticon.

In the modified form of apparatus shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the supplementary lens 13*- and window 14 may be located "as in- Fig. 3.; and a second supplementary lens 13 and a reflecting mirror 16 are provided, the

lens 13 being preferably of thesame size as the principal lens 9, and the distance be-j .tween the axes of these lenses and the center of the corresponding windows 11 and 14" is equal to a multiple of the distance which the film advances in each successive movement. Consequently, when the machine is in operation', the latent image hereinafter referred to as-the supplementary image, formedon the sensitized: film by lens 13- focused on the scene 30,,hereinafter referred. to as the supplementary scene, is, after having moved a certain number of increments, advanced to the space directly behind and coinciding with the window' 11, when the latent image, hereinafter referred to as the principal image, formed by lens 9 focused on the scene 31, hereinafter referred to as the principal scene,--is superimposed thereon and blended therewith.' v

Between the lenses 9 and l3 and the film, may be extended the opaque screen 25 in the grooves 26 which screen is provided with the diagonally opposed openings 27 and 28,. The inner edges of these openings are serrated as indicated, and the vertical distance between the openings is equal to the distance between the centers of the lenses 9 and 13". The rod 29 is attached to the screen 25, which rod projects through the side of the camera for the purpose of moving the screen back and forth past the lenses in grooves 26.

\Vhen the screen 25 is moved past the lenses. the light is gradually shut off from one lens while it is graduallyadmitted to the othely and as the image formed by the one lens will gradually fade into darkness, that formed by the otherlens will gradually increase from darkness to full brilliancy. Since the views imposed on the films by the two lenses are superimposed, as has been described the so called dissolving view effect will be obtained. when the picture projected on a screen in the usual manner, and

it is evident that the same effect may be attained without the use of a screen by graduca d; with th mod icat on o 'th dev ce,

wh re g ost is made to app ar d sappe r, during a dramati p rformance, th screen 2 is di pensed with-and one of the lenses say 13*, i provided with a shutte h a to p r o ti g the ghost s d in ight olor d ga m n and tation d saya 30, ig- 5, and hi imag "is focused on he film bythe n the backg ound, (not indi-. ated in. the d awing), being bla k so hat the image o th gh st only w l be imposed on the film. The theatrical performancminuding cenery, e c-J takes place a l, F gand its image i orm d" on thefilm by le W th the am ra thusa mngc the ma o h gho t may be gra ually or suddenly thrown upon and withdrawn from th m y gradually or suddenly pe i the h t r of the n is evident that the same effect can be obtained by illuminate i g r darke ng the. gh st.

In th m ed orm o appa a us shown in Fig. 7, the lens9 and the second supplemental lens 13? an their corresponding windows 11 and 1 L respectively are directly opposite each other and simultaneously focus on Opposite sides of the same part of the sensitized film; and the supplemental lens 13. and its window 1d may be arranged as in Fig. 1, it being understood that a screen, not shown,\of the general character shown in Fig. 6, may be employed for dissolving the viewsopposite lenses 9 and 13". With this modification we have the dissolving view effect with the title changing simultaneously, and in accordance therewith.

It is evident that when the supplemental lens 13, 13 or 13" is arranged as 'in Figs. 1.

4, 5 and 7, the interval of time between the exposure of the film through the lenses 13, 13 and 13 and the exposure of the same picture field of the film through the lens 9 is so slight, that the exposure is made with a negligible difference of time; and in all forms'of theapparatus shown and described focal length of lens 13 is preferablyshorter than that of lens 9 so that the title on strip 18. may for'flmvenience, be printed on an ordlnary typewriter and yet be so reduced in size on the film as to be of minimum height; and it is evident that when employing three or more lenses all may be ofdif- :t'erent focal lengths as circumstances may require. The revolving shutter 8 and also its companion 8' may be of the usual broken disk type, and it will be understood thatlthewings of the disk or disks are sol-elated as .to expose the portion of the film at all of the windows 11, 14.- and 14 at'and during.

' an intermittent movement, but it is evident,

tothos'e'skilled in the art, that my device may, with v proper modifications, be emof the film is continuous.

bodied in cameras in which the movement It will be understood that the distinctive feature of this invention, is the method of exposing the sensitized film ot' a picture camera, to a plurality or 'a multiplicity'ot'. scenes, each scene being focused on the film by a separate lens, and each scene being out of the field of view of all other lenses, excepting the one which focuses its image on the film.

.It is evident that should the entire'camera be moved while in process of taking pic tures, as when being carried on a vehicle or moved upon its base to'panoran1a a scene, such movement will notdisplace the image of the title on the film, since the title is attached to and carried with the camera by means of the brackets 22 and the grooves 23.

I claim: e

1. The method of making motion picture films consisting in exposing successive pic.-

*ture fields. thereof in rapid succession through a pluraliity of separate lenses acting on opposite sides of the film, to a plurality of separate changing scenes.

2. The method of making photographic films for the exhibition of objects in motion,

consisting in passing a sensitized film across a principal lens at a high rate of speed and with an intermittent 1notion,'and exposing successive picture fields of the film during periods of rest to a scene of action, and exposing the same picture fields to a moving title through a supplementary lens.

3. The method of making motion picture films. consisting in imposing on the sensitized film by means of a principal lens, a

series of principal images of a principal scene, and imposing on the films by means of a supplementary lens, a series of supplementary images of a separate scene, the supplementary images being superposed on the principal images and said separate scene beineans of a supplementary lens, successive ing outside the field of view of the principal lens.

4. The method-of making motion picture films consisting in simultaneously exposing the film through a lens to a scene of action, and through a supplementary lens to a moving title tescriptive ot' the scene of action, said title changing simultaneously and in correspondence with the changes in the scene of action.

5. The method of making motion picture films consisting in imposing the image of a scene of action on the sensitized film by a lens, and simultaneously imposing the image of a moving title on the film by a supplementary lens, said title being descriptive of and changing simultaneously and in correspondence with the changes in the scene of action.

6. The method otmaking motion picture films consisting in imposing on a sensitized film, by means of a principal lens, succes sire images of a scene of action, and simultaneously imposing on the same film by images of a moving title descriptive of said scene of action, the title being outside of the field of view of the principal lens and changing simultaneously and in correspondence with'changes in the scene of action.

7. In a photographic apparatus including a sensitized transparent film, a camera obscura focusing on one side of the film, and a supplementary camera obscura focusing on the other side of the same picture field of 100,

the film. I

S. In a photographic apparatus including a sensitized transparent film, a principal camera obscura,- and a supplementary camera obscura, the respective cameras focusing and superposing the images of different scenes on opposite sides of the emulsion on the film.

9. In -a photographic apparatus including a sensitized transparent film, a principal camera obscura, a supplementary camera obscura external to the principal camera, both cameras focusing on the same picture field on opposite sides of the emulsion on the film.

10. In a photographic apparatus, including a sensitized transparent film. a prineipalcamera obscura focusing the image of a scene on one side of the filmand a supple mentary camera obscura focusing-the image of a. different scene on the other side of the film, the respective cameras superposing the 7 images upon the film.

11L In a photographic apparatus including a sensitized transparent film, means for -gradually shutting, off light from one camera while gradually admitting light to the other camera. a

12. In a photographic apparatus, means for intermittently moving a sensitized transparent film, a principal camera obscura arranged to focus the image of a scene on successive picture fields of thefilm, and a supplementary camera obscura arranged to focus and superpose the image of a di erent scene upon theima'ge'of the scene focused by the rincipal camera obscura. 13. n a photographic apparatus, means for intermittently moving a sensitized transparent film, a principal camera obscura arranged to focusthe imagecf a "scene onisuccessiv'e picture fields of. the film, a moving title bearing strip, and a supplementary camera obscura arranged to focus the image of the title on corresponding picture fields of the film. V a

14. In a photographic apparatus, means for intermittently moving a sensitized film, a principal camera obscura arranged to focus the ima e of a scene on successive picture fields of 5m film, a moving title bearing strip, a supplementary camera obscur'a arranged to focus the image of the title .on corresponding picture fields of the film, and a shutter for simultaneously shielding the film, when in motion, from light entering both cameras, and when at rest exposing it thereto.

15. In a photographic apparatus, means for intermittently moving a sensitized film, a principal camera obscura arranged to focus the image of a scene on successive picture fields of the film, a moving title bearing strip, a supplementary camera obscura arranged to focus the image of the title on corresponding picture fields of the film, and 7 means in one of the cameras for reflectlng the li ht entering the same.

T6. 11 a camera, the combination with a principal camera, of a light-tlght hollow casing opening into the interior of the prin- 'cipal camera with its rear end ad acent to the sensitized film, a lens in the casing, a shutter to control the admission of light, and atranslucent tablet for the casing upon which to initially produce the matter to be recorded, .said light-tight hollow casing extending to said translucent tablet.

17.. A camera having means for focusing a principal image upon a sensitized surface, a shutter for controllin the light acting through the principal ocusing means, a light-tight hollow casing opening into the interior of the camera and having means for focusing a supplemental image on the same sensitized surface, a movable light-controlling element independent of the princ pal shutter and arranged to control the light passing through the supplemental focuslng means, and a holder arranged to receive an image or inscription carrier in proper-position for the image or inscription on said carrier to be focused by the supplement-al focusing means, said light-tight hollow casing extending to said inscription carrier.

18. A camera having means forfocusing a principal image upon a sensitized surface, a shutter for controlling" the light acting through the -principal focusing means, a light-tight hollow casing opening into the interior of the camera and having means for focusing a supplemental image on the same sensitized surface, a movable light-controlling element arranged to control light passing .through the supplemental l focusin z,

means; and a translucent image -orj inscrl tienv carrier supported in proper pesi for the image orainscription on said caji to He focused'bythe slipplenrentahfocusl means, said lighttight hollow casin tendingto said inscription carrier.

19. A camera having means fo r i fo cusing a principal image upon asensitized surface, a shutter for controlling the light acting through the principal focusing means, a light-tight hollow casing opening into the interior of the camera and having means for focusing a supplemental image on'the same sensitized surface,,a movable light-controlling element independent of the principal shutter and arranged to control the li ht passing through the supplemental focusing means, a translucent image or inscription carrier supported in proper position for the image or inscription on said carrier to be focused by the supplemental focusing means, said light-tight hollow casing extending to said inscription carrier.

20. A camera havingmeans for focusing a principal image upon a sensitized surface, a shutter. for controlling the light acting through the principal focusing means, a 1ighttight hollow casing opening into the interior of the camera and having means for focusing a supplemental image on the same sensitized surface, a translucent image or inscription carrier to which said casing extends, a movable light-controlling element arranged to control light passing through the supplemental focusing means, and an image reverser additional to the supplemental focusing means, and located in the light-tight hollow casing. v 21. In a photographic apparatus, means for intermittently moving a sensitized film, a principal camera obscura arranged to focusthe image of a scene upon successive picture fields of the film, a hght-tight hollow casing opening into the interior of the camera and having means for focusing a supplemental image on the same sensitized film, means for controlling the passage of light through the supplemental focusing means and a translucent image or inscription carrier supported in a proper position for the image or inscription to be'focused by the supplemental focusing means, said casing extending to said inscription carrier.

light-tight hollow casing openingintothe interior of the camera and having meansfor focusing a supplemental image on the same sensitized surface, a movable light-controlling element independent of the principal shutter and arranged to control the light passing through the supplemental focusing means, anda holderarranged to receive an l'niage'or inscription carrier in proper pos1 tioir'for the image or inscription on said carnew) be focused the supplemental focusing means.

23. A camera having means for focusinga principal image upon a sensitized surface, a shutter for 'controlllng-the light acting through the principal focusing means, a

. sensitized surface,

light-tight hollow casing opening into the interior of the camera and having means for focusing a supplemental image on the same a movable light-controlling element. arranged to control light passing through the supplemental focusing means and a translucent image or inscription carrier supported in proper position for the image or inscription on said carrier to be focused by the supplemental focusing means. p

24. A camera having means for focusing a principal image upon a sensitized surface, a shutter for controlling the light acting through the principal focusing means, a light-tight hollow casing o ening into the 40 interior of the'camera an having means for focusing a supplemental image on the same sensitized surface, a movable light controlling element independent of the principal shutter and arranged to control the light passing through the supplemental focusing means, a translucent image or inscription carrier supported in proper position for the image or inscription on said carrier to be focused by the supplemental focusing means. i

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 31st day of December, 1915.

FRANK FABER. 

